Tiffany Layton Oliser

CEO / Surf & Paddle Instructor

Tiffany is a PRO/AM competitive surfer and a certified Surf / SUP instructor.
She was born and raised here in North Florida and is familiar with the best local surfing and paddling locations.
She loves her family, friends and all board sports. In 2006, she won the East Coast Surfing Championship for women's shortboard and placed second in women's longboard. In 2009 she also started competing in SUP surfing competitions and SUP races adding countless trophies to her collection. She loves finding new ways to workout as long as it's not in a gym! Try Surfing or Stand Up Paddle Boarding (aka "SUP") with her to learn fitness, safety, confidence or to just have fun! Tiffany left behind a successful corporate career in 2009 to follow her heart and start Jacksonville Surf and Paddle because "My two loves are surfing and teaching"

Surf/SUP Experience:

Carmel Laserna

General Manager / Surf & Paddle Instructor

Gators and snakes and turtles, oh my! No problem for this Florida native! Carmel is a true water baby, swimming before she could walk and canoeing before she could crawl. Carmel went on her first canoe & camping trip down Florida's historic Suwannee river at just 3-months-old and has felt at home on the water ever since. Carmel grew up exploring Florida's hidden gems; snorkeling through fresh water springs, hiking the Florida Trail, surfing, swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding in the majestic Atlantic Ocean, and canoeing & camping throughout this beautiful state. Spending most of her adult life in the television news industry, Carmel has found her way back to her roots and the joy she gets sharing her love for the water and the beautiful Florida ecosystem with others keeps her smiling.

Certifications:

American Heart Association CPR & First Aid Certified

American Canoe Association (ACA) Level 1 SUP

USA Football Heads Up Coaching Certification

Pop Warner Southeast Coaching Certification

Accomplishments:

Beaches Soccer League Coach since 2013

Pop Warner Football since 2012

Surf and Paddle Coach since 2013

Dioc of St. Augustine Level 1 Catechist Certification

Volunteer Counselor ‘Friends of Santa’

Surf/SUP Experience:

Surfing since 1988 / SUP since 2012

East Coast

Tom Oliser

Business Development / Surf & Paddle Instructor

Tommy is an experienced surfer who can simplify complex surf concepts into a fun learning experience. He is great with making sure each and every lesson or retreat is huge success. Since his first trip to Hawaii in 1997 Tommy has surfed all over the world like the rest of the Jacksonville Surf & Paddle crew. Now he enjoys running multiple businesses in Jacksonville, Florida including managing JSP operations. You will really enjoy Tommy's style of instruction. When not working behind the scenes, Tommy leads intermediate surf classes as well as helping where needed.

Surf/SUP Experience:

Thomas Bacon

Sales Manager / Surf & Paddle Instructor

So STOKED to be here! I feel so grateful to be apart of this amazing Jax Surf & Paddle experience. I have felt the pull of the Water/Ocean from very early on in life. Fortunately this path has always kept me close to the water which led me to adventures like becoming a lifegaurd and joining the Navy. Through traveling and life experiences I can say with certainty that there is nothing like this place! The people and community are so special here. I love that I can call this home! Being able to share this with all of the great people I get to meet has been the ultimate uplifting experience for me. Come check us out and share in this stoke with the JSP Family!

Certifications:

CPR & First Aid Certified

Class II Swim Qualification

Accomplishments:

Loving Dad to an awesome daughter

Surf/SUP Experience:

Surfing since 2009 / SUP since 2016

Surfed in Florida

Hector Conde

Surf Instructor/ Surf Class Lead

Born and raised in Ponce, PR where the sun shines hot and the waves are flat - closest, legitimate surf spot was hours away. Grew up on the beach, but my obsession with surfing began when I moved to Jacksonville Beach right after high school. Ever since, I’ve been playing catch up to get my surfing to the highest level I can as I am very competitive and so are my friends. I love everything about surfing: sleepless nights before swells, cold dawn patrol wave checks, suiting up in a smelly, damp wet suit in freezing weather, board short rash, ice cream headaches, sunburns, reef rashes, big waves, little waves, fast waves, the sun, and especially, being in the ocean. The ocean has provided me a healthy lifestyle, a career, and an escape to happiness. I do this because I absolutely love it with a passion, and I know that the ocean can change lives. It is a great teacher for life in general, and it may even help you discover your purpose in this life, just like it did with me. Yew!

Certifications:

Red Cross CPR and First Aid Certified* update in progress for U.S.

Accomplishments:

2011 Sacred Heart High Diploma in Ponce, Puerto Rico

2017 University of North Florida Bachelor's Degree in Communication

Surf/SUP Experience:

Surfing since 2011

Puerto Rico, Florida, The Carolinas, Costa Rica

Emelia Hitchner

Surf Instructor / Surf Class Lead

I moved to Daytona Beach in 2010 and spent my freshman year of college adopting the Floridian lifestyle. When I wasn't skating, I was teaching myself how to surf on a thrift store shortboard. After getting my associate's degree, I transferred to UNF, traded my shortboard for a longboard, and received a bachelor's degree in multimedia journalism. Throughout my college years I juggled a variety of interesting jobs, and I worked as a lifeguard and a nanny for two years. Now I work as a full-time education reporter for a newspaper in St. Augustine, but I still manage to revolve my weekends around surfing. The only thing I enjoy more than catching a wave is teaching someone else how to do it!

Certifications:

Red Cross CPR and First Aid Certified

Accomplishments:

2015 UNF Bachelor's Degree in Communication and Multimedia Journalism

Surf/SUP Experience:

Surfing since 2010/ SUP since 2014

East Coast USA

Stephanie Summers

Surf & Paddle Instructor

I am Atlantic Beach native who spent most of my time playing at the beach as a kid. Although I grew up at the beach I did not start surfing until I was 12 and became completely addicted! Currently, I am pursuing a bachelors degree in Business from UNF, while still spending as much time in the water as possible. When I am not catching my own waves my favorite thing to do is help people discover and better their surfing. Can't wait to surf together!

Certifications:

Red Cross CPR and First Aid Certified

Surf/SUP Experience:

Surfing since 2008/SUP since 2013

East Coast, California and Hawaii

Connor Bonham

Surf & Paddle Instructor

Certifications:

ACA SUP

Kristen Huth

Surf & Paddle Instructor

Kristen is a 200Hr Certified Yoga Instructor with her 500Hr+ in progress with Yoga Medicine. She is a surfer, traveler and health guru. With almost 10 years of practice and 3 years of teaching expeience, Kristen's yoga style of teaching is anatomy oriented with the limitations of the body in mind. Her classes are strengthening as her taste for inversions & fun energetic vibes collide. She brings her love of life kind of spirit into her classes.
Kristen brings warm hearted fun into her surf and SUP instruction and adjusts her teachings to all levels.

Certifications:

CPR and First Responder

Accomplishments:

200 RYT

500 RYT in progress

Surf/SUP Experience:

Surfing Since 2000 / SUP since 2011

Hawaii, Florida, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua

John Wiegert

Paddle Instructor / Camp

Kat Amodeo

Surf Camp Instructor

Mariah Gilbert

Surf Camp Instructor

Walker Mason

Surf & Paddle Instructor

I grew up vacationing in Atlantic Beach and loved being on this side of the ditch more than anything else. I started surfing at the age of 4 when my older brother gave me a series of sink-or-swim lessons…. which I later thanked him for. After graduating from the University of Florida, to satisfy my salty addiction, I set off to my favorite vacation spot and made it my home. I’ve been living here for the past 4 years and surf anything over knee high. LOVE sharing my passion with those looking to try surfing! Can’t wait to see you out in the lineup.

Accomplishments:

International Business Masters – UF

Finance and Geology Degrees - UF

Volunteer Surf Instructor for HEAL Foundation

Surf/SUP Experience:

Elle Baker

Paddle Instructor

I was born and raised on the beaches of Melbourne Florida. My surfing career started when I was a kid on top of my dad’s long board. He would paddle us out and we would catch little rollers with me hanging on to his legs. Over the years I developed my skills and continued to surf for fun. In high school I ran cross country, track, rode horses, was an ocean lifeguard and was on the high school surf team. Growing up surrounded by the beach community, surfing was the go to activity when the waves were hot. I moved to Jacksonville in 2011 to study and run cross country and track at UNF. The school was an easy sell to me because it was so close to the beach! Now, I am pursing my Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics at UNF with the goal of working in sports nutrition. It’s starting to get how and I’m itching to get in the water in between classes and help get some new faces surfing out in the line up!

Accomplishments:

2015 Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics

Two time NCAA Division 1 East Regional Qualifier in Women’s 3K Steeplechase

Surf/SUP Experience:

Started surfing as a kid

SUP since 2015

Natalie Erb

Surf & Paddle Instructor, Camp

I am from Virginia and moved down to Florida in order to pursue my education at The University of Florida! Go Gators! Currently I am pursuing Business and Spanish degrees. When I am not studying, I am working as a member of the executive board of the UF Surf Club. Waking up at 5 am, surfing, and getting back to class at 1 is my weekly routine during the school year! I love spreading the stoke of surfing to others, as I started surfing 6 years ago in the Outer Banks and it changed my direction in life ever since. The ocean is humbling and there is always something new that it teaches me every day, so let’s learn together & always... HAVE FUN!